Reviewer: Dan Hobson (Sept 2008)
[According to the band's myspace page they were close to breaking up following
a final gig in Feb 2008; however their myspace stuff has been updated since then - Ed.]
Hailing from various backwaters of Northern England, four people with little in common have
come together to form alternative indie-rock quartet Unexploded Shells.
Admittedly first impressions weren’t too favourable with these guys. The sound quality leaves
a lot to be desired, especially the vocals, which are far too low in the mix. After a couple
of listens however, and looking past the recording quality, you start to notice that for a
recently formed band these guys do show promise. They write catchy, raw tunes with similarities
to Oasis, The Libertines and perhaps The Clash and Happy Mondays.
There’s definite character and a swagger to the music, perhaps in time and with a good producer
these guys could be on to something,
The opening track on this EP, Nothing Matters Anymore, is my standout, with repetitive
riff, and (when you can hear them) well written lyrics about being a waster, and not really
giving a toss about it, for example don’t get up, don’t go to bed, nothing matters anymore.
Track three, Lost Property is another favourite with a Stone Roses,
Oasis-esque riff, nice structure and good vibe.
Unexploded Shells definitely show potential, if they keep doing what they’re doing and
consider forking out for some decent studio time they could very well be on to a winner.